Police budget 'on a cliff edge'

25 January 2012 Last updated at 22:32 ET

The potential £1.3m cuts would be on top of £18m of savings already agreed

A police chief has said further cuts to his force's budget would take it to "a metaphorical cliff edge".

The mooted £1.3m in cuts for Gloucestershire police would be on top of £18m of savings already agreed.

The Superintendent's Association, Unison and the Police Federation have all sent letters of condemnation to the local Police Authority.

Chief Constable Tony Melville said he had never experienced an issue which had "galvanised" staff in such a way.

He said: "We are cutting much, much deeper than was ever intended or required by the CSR (Comprehensive Spending Review)."

'Significant pressures'

Chief Constable Melville said the strength of feeling in the county had made him feel "compelled to respond" and added: "Here in Gloucestershire we are potentially in the middle of a perfect storm."

He said: "The letters sent this week are written by bodies which represent every part of the constabulary - both officers and staff and spanning across all ranks.

"They air genuine concerns which I share and also worry could become a reality for this county."

Det Ch Supt Gavin Thomas, chairman of the Gloucestershire branch of the Police Superintendents Association, said in his letter the accountability held by the Police Authority was there "to ensure there is an efficient and effective policing service delivered to the people of Gloucestershire."

He said if the authority went ahead with its plans for further cuts of £1.3m it would "significantly increase the already significant budgetary pressures on the Constabulary, that is already making 'real' funding cuts of over £18m."

In his letter, chairman of the Gloucestershire branch of the Police Federation, Ian Anderson, said: "The county has already seen the closure of 19 police stations and a reduction of nearly 200 police officers."

He said the further £1.3m in cuts would "potentially result in further closures and reductions in police officer numbers."

'Deep concerns'

Rob Garnham, chairman of Gloucestershire Police Authority, said it faced the challenge of increasing its share of council tax by 2.9% for the next three years, or accepting a government offer of £1.3m this year in return for freezing council tax.

"However that cash sum this year will not be built in to the base budget for future years and if accepted we would need to set the constabulary the challenge of finding an additional annual saving of £1.3m," he said.

"The authority is fully supportive of the constabulary as it reorganises to meet the financial challenges it has been set - they are making outstanding efforts to cope with these challenges and we know how hard this has been.

"We understand the uncertainty that many in policing are feeling and their deep concerns."

Of the existing plan for £18m in cuts already agreed up on, Chief Constable Melville said: "It is a plan which can deliver a good quality of service to the public, whilst still making the savings required. But it is only possible to continue with that plan if this extra cut is not imposed.

"As chief constable, I will work tirelessly to provide the best policing possible with the money that I am given.

"However, it is quite possible that, in the future, it will look very different to what the public have come to know and expect from us.

"Never before in my 34 years of policing have I experienced an issue which has galvanised staff and officers in the way that this has."

A decision on the force's budget is due to be made at a public meeting in Cheltenham on 9 February.

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UK police identify body found on queen's estate

LONDON (AP) — The remains of a woman found on one of Queen Elizabeth's vast estates belong to a 17-year-old missing girl, British detectives investigating the murder said Sunday.

Forensic tests identified the decomposed body as that of Latvian Alisa Dmitrijeva, who was reported missing from her home in eastern England in August, Norfolk Police said.

The body was found by a dog walker on New Year's Day in woodland three miles (five kilometers) from the royal residence at Sandringham House.

Sandringham, in rural Norfolk, is a vast estate where Queen Elizabeth II and her family traditionally gather to celebrate the holiday season. The royal family is not implicated in the crime in any way.

Part of the nearly 31-square-mile (8,000-hectare) estate is open to the public, and the body was found at Anmer, a hamlet of several dozen people.

Detective Chief Inspector Jes Fry, who is probing the case, said police are trying to find out about any activity that took place on or near the site in August through September, and looking for people who may have worked in the area.

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Pedestrian hit by police car dies

8 January 2012 Last updated at 06:07 ET

The IPCC has been informed about the crash

A pedestrian has died after he was hit by a police car in South Shields.

The 52-year-old man, who has not been named, was taken to South Tyneside Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Two officers, including the driver, were also taken to hospital. Their injuries are not thought to be serious.

Northumbria Police said the crash happened at about 22:30 GMT in Whiteleas Way. The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been informed.

Officers are in the process of informing the man's family.

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Police : Homme tue 2 en Ga. hôpital tir

Nos reporters @laura_ynews, @Chris_Moody et @hollybdc sont tweeting en direct dans le champ d'avance #NHdebate de ce soir: http://t.co/hvNLkoHZ

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Police warned over links to press

4 January 2012 Last updated at 12:31 ET

Elizabeth Filkin warned against ''the close relationship" between Met police and journalists

The "close relationship" between parts of Scotland Yard and the media has caused "serious harm", a report says.

The report by Elizabeth Filkin says information had previously been given "inappropriately".

This had "compromised" the way police and the media scrutinised each other's activities, it added.

The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Bernard Hogan-Howe said new rules for officers about relationships with journalists would be implemented.

But former Daily Mirror crime reporter Jeff Edwards said the inquiry appeared to "have taken a sledgehammer to crack a nut".

'Watch out'

Ms Filkin, the former parliamentary commissioner for standards, calls for a new approach based on "more extensive, open and impartial" provision of information to the public.

Her report tells officers to "watch out" for "late-night carousing, long sessions, yet another bottle of wine at lunch - these are all long-standing media tactics to get you to spill the beans. Avoid."

It added: "Mixing the media with alcohol is not banned but should be an uncommon event," her report said, adding that drinking with officers "may be seen as inappropriate hospitality".

Officers will be urged to keep a note of any conversation they have with journalists, the report said.

Ms Filkin, also advises police to "watch out" for reporters "flirting" which she said is designed to get officers to drop their defences.

She said there were "some very serious issues" relating to contact between journalists and police which had "eroded trust from the public".

Speaking at the launch of the report, Mr Hogan-Howe said: "There should be no more secret conversations. There should be no more improper contact and by that what I mean is between the police and the media - that which is of a selfish, rather than a public interest."

"Meetings will no longer be enhanced by hospitality and alcohol. It doesn't mean to say there will never be an occasion when we take hospitality with journalists, but on the whole, we wouldn't expect to see it."

'Greater openness'

The Filkin Report was ordered by police and Home Secretary Theresa May after a phone-hacking scandal surrounding the News of the World uncovered evidence suggesting improper ties between officers and the media. Dame Elizabeth was asked to investigate following allegations that reporters paid officers for information.

The previous Met Police Commissioner, Sir Paul Stephenson, quit the Met in July amid the phone-hacking scandal.

He was criticised for his links to former News of the World deputy editor Neil Wallis, who was arrested in July 2011 on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications. Mr Wallis had also been working as a public relations consultant for Champneys spa when Sir Paul recuperated there, although the Met said Sir Paul had been unaware of this. A subsequent inquiry cleared Sir Paul of all wrongdoing.

The Filkin Report only refers to the Met but last year the Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) published guidance for all police forces in England and Wales.

It recommended senior police officers:

• Ensure a record is made of any interviews with the media
• Record all meetings with journalists, including purpose, time, and place
• Should be accompanied by press officers
• Should record any hospitality received from the media

In her report Ms Filkin added: "I recommend greater openness in providing information to the public, much of which will be through the media.

"The two new roles which I suggest - public information and integrity champions - will drive the change, making media contact permissible but not unconditional. Unequivocal and sustained leadership must be given."

Among other key recommendations were that "confidential briefings should be the exception" and "all contact should be available for audit".

Ms Filkin also highlighted criticism of senior officers, saying the Met "has not communicated effectively enough with Londoners".

She added: "I am concerned by the extent to which police officers and staff feel that some of their senior leaders abide by a different set of rules.

"There has been wide variation in how the senior team interpreted policy on dealing with the media and receiving gifts and hospitality.

"There has been no clear standard set by the senior team for police officers and staff to use as a guide for their own behaviour and in some instances the standards set have been poor and have led to consequent damage."

Mr Edwards, who is also president of the Crime Reporters Association, said police officers need not be "chaperoned" and he added: "I would like to correct the view that all unauthorised contact is bad.

"I can think of at least five major criminal investigations where, as a tabloid reporter, I came across information and passed it on to a senior police officer.

"One was an enormous criminal conspiracy and I met an officer and, yes we shared a beer, but he acted and headed off a very serious criminal conspiracy."

Mr Edwards, who is now an associate lecturer at the National Police Leadership College, said: "I resent the implied suggestion that all unauthorised contact between police and media is automatically unethical, elicit, shady or corrupt."

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Los Angeles police question someone about arsons

Authorities arrest a man in connection with dozens of suspected arson fires in Los Angeles: http://t.co/vk180vEd

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Child sacrificed, liver offered to gods: Indian police

A seven-year-old Indian girl was murdered in a tribal sacrifice and her liver offered to the gods to improve crop growth, police in the central state of Chhattisgarh said on Sunday.

The body of Lalita Tati was found in October one week after her family reported her missing.

"A seven-year-old girl was sacrificed by two persons superstitiously believing that the act would give a better harvest," Narayan Das, the police chief of Bijapur district, told AFP by telephone.

The two men was arrested on Wednesday on suspicion of killing the girl and offering her liver to the gods in a grisly tribal ceremony. Police said the men had confessed to the crime.

The girl was murdered in a jungle district of Chhattisgarh that is a stronghold of rebel Maoists who have tapped into disaffection among local tribal groups.

Human sacrifices occasionally make headlines in deeply religious and superstitious India, and usually occur in poor areas where some people revere practitioners of black magic.

Two suspected child sacrifices were reported in Chhattisgarh in 2010, while in the same year the decapitated body of a factory worker was found in a temple in the eastern state of West Bengal.

The victims are often ritually killed by witchdoctors to appease gods, spirits or deities.

Continue Reading... Labels: child, gods:, Indian, liver, offered, police, sacrificed

Police trial lie detector testing

31 December 2011 Last updated at 06:56 ET

Lie detector tests are considered too unreliable for use in criminal trials in the UK

Police have begun using lie detector tests on suspected sex offenders in a trial which could be widened.

Hertfordshire Police said it had been using polygraphs, which monitor heart rate, brain activity, sweating and blood pressure, during questioning.

The trial involved tests on 25 "low-level" suspects ahead of any charges being brought, the force said.

The Association of Chief Police Officers (Acpo) said the tests were not a "single solution to solving crimes".

Hertfordshire Police said polygraph testing had been used to "speed up the risk assessment process".

"The testing is undertaken ahead of any charges being brought and involves specialist officers from the constabulary's paedophile unit working with an expert who conducts the test on first-time suspected offenders who have volunteered to co-operate with police," the force said in a statement.

"Evidence elicited during the examinations is not admissible at court."

Det Ch Insp Glen Channer, head of the force's child protection unit, added: "The polygraph testing provides us with an additional tool and has cut down investigative time significantly, leading to a more efficient process, often helping to identify additional offences."

A further 12-month trial is expected to start in April, the force says.

'Home in'

Acpo, which represents chief police officers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, said its Homicide Working Group advised police on the use of polygraph techniques.

"Polygraph techniques are complex and are by no means a single solution to solving crimes, potentially offering in certain circumstances an additional tool to structured interrogation," a spokeswoman said.

"These initial trials are in their very early stages and we will follow their progress, working with chief officers across the country to provide further guidance if necessary.

"Whether these techniques are adopted elsewhere in the country is a matter for individual chief constables."

The results of lie detector tests are considered too unreliable for use in criminal trials.

Bruce Burgess, a former chairman of the British Polygraph Association, said lie detectors were considered to be a useful "investigative tool" in the US, even though they produced evidence that was "very difficult to get into court" and were unlikely ever to be used as "a guilty or innocent tool".

He said offering polygraph tests to a number of suspects could provide a degree of insight if, for example, somebody refused to take the test.

"If they polygraph six people and they get five truthful results and one deceptive, they can home in on that person and cut down on a lot of police work. That's the way it's used in America," he added.

Although the Hertfordshire pilot looked at the use of lie detectors to aid decisions over whether or not to charge suspects, a three-year pilot study in the East and West Midlands could lead to the compulsory testing of convicted sex offenders.

The Ministry of Justice has been overseeing the project, aimed at testing sex offenders as part of their probation conditions when they are freed from prison.

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Police evict Occupy Boston protesters; 46 arrested

#FF: @ABC, @DrakeUniversity, @DMRegister – our partners in tomorrow night's #IowaDebate

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Prayers for police death family

10 December 2011 Last updated at 08:30 ET

Toby Day is thought to have attacked his family before killing himself

Prayers are to be said for a family, three of whom were found dead in a Leicestershire house.

Former police inspector Toby Day, his wife and youngest daughter were found fatally injured in Melton Mowbray on Thursday. It is thought he attacked his family before killing himself.

Two other children, aged 13 and 15, are in a stable condition in hospital.

The family were regulars at All Saints Church, in Oakham, Rutland, and will be the focus of the service on Sunday.

Mr Day, 37, lived in the property on Robin Crescent with his wife and children, named locally as Samantha, Kimberley, 15, Adam, 13, and Genevieve, 6.

The Leicestershire force has confirmed he was sacked after a misconduct hearing on 1 December concerning misuse of police computers.

Police have confirmed they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the attack.

Canon Lee Francis-Dehqani, vicar of All Saints Church in Oakham, said his heart goes out to the family

Tributes, including flowers and balloons, have been left at the scene.

Rev Canon Lee Francis-Dehqani, vicar of All Saints, said he had known the family since he was appointed at the church in 2004.

"They were a lovely family and regular worshippers at the church," he said.

"Prayers will be said for the family and for those who died during our service tomorrow."

He added he was working with the family and police liaison officers on the funeral arrangements.

Councillor Paul Westley, who represents Beaumont Leys on Leicester City Council and worked with Mr Day for three years while he was based in the area, said: "I am absolutely shocked and I am sure the community are.

"And of course my thoughts are with the family of the children and I offer my deep condolences."

Police have launched a murder inquiry and results of post-mortem tests are expected later.

The case was referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission but it later said it would not be carrying out a formal investigation.

Continue Reading... Labels: Death, family, police, Prayers

Police 'face months of disorder'

6 December 2011 Last updated at 12:02 ET

Lord Stevens: "We're going to be looking at a vast range of things in relation to policing"

Former Met Police Chief Lord Stevens has said he believes public disorder will be one of the major problems facing police over the next 18 months.

Launching a commission into policing in England and Wales set up by Labour - he said his feeling was that the coming months would be "very difficult".

He said he was worried about unemployment and rising crime - police would have to be "match fit" to cope.

Crossbencher Lord Stevens also stressed the commission would be non-political.

Labour announced the review at their 2011 party conference, saying it was time for a "serious vision".

'Radical thinking'

But Lord Stevens stressed that the review panel, which includes police figures from the UK and US, academics and judges, would be independent.

The crossbench peer, who has previously advised the Conservatives on border security and Gordon Brown on international security, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It has to be independent and I think the people who agreed to do this commission with me show that it will be... I can assure you, it will be."

He said: "It would be great if we could have some kind of cross-party agreement, not everything we say is going to be welcomed by the Labour Party and there will be some need for some radical thinking."

Launching the commission, Lord Stevens said: "My own belief is - and it's a very personal one - that (over) the next 18 months, two to three years, one of the main issues will be public order, or rather public disorder.

"I don't think anyone would disagree with that in terms of the challenges facing policing. We'll be looking at that in some detail," he said.

"My gut feeling and beyond is that it's going to be a very difficult 18 months, two years, but I hope to God I'm wrong."

Stop and search

He predicted "disquiet on the streets" and said he was really concerned about unemployment - particularly youth unemployment and "a sense of increasing crime": "The police have to be absolutely match fit to deal with these issues."

But he said they would have to work with communities - citing the example of former Brixton commander Brian Paddick who set up a "contract" with the local community there about the use of stop-and-search powers, which Lord Stevens said was a "massively important tool for the police".

As well as working with local communities, there had to be "hard-edged policing which doesn't allow people to get confidence like they did in the riots that took place recently where they actually think they can break the law, steal things and get away with it".

But asked if he expected trouble on the scale of the summer riots he said: "No, I hope not."

Labour has been critical of cuts to police budgets, which the police watchdog HM Inspectorate of Constabulary estimates could see police officer numbers in England and Wales fall by 16,200 over five years.

Launching the party's policing review, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "Policing now faces a perfect storm from the scale of cuts, the chaos of confused reforms, the escalating demands on the service and declining morale.

"I'm worried in particular about the risk of a growing gap between public concern with the need for police action but also with the capacity of the police to deliver."

'No more money'

Lord Stevens told the BBC he expected his unpaid panel to report back within 15 months.

It would look into the role of the police in England and Wales, what is expected of them, how they are held to account and their relationship with the criminal justice system and "priorities and structures".

But he added: "Above all we've got to accept the fact that there's not going to be any more money and there's going to be a reduction in money."

It is almost 50 years since the last royal commission on the police, which introduced the system still broadly in force.

Ms Cooper has criticised the coalition government for refusing to hold a major commission or review of policing - Labour resisted calls for a royal commission when it was in power.

Policing Minister Nick Herbert argued that Labour's decision to establish an inquiry was "an abdication of any kind of political leadership" while the government had a "coherent package of reforms".

He told the BBC: "We should always listen to expert policing views. But the challenges facing police forces are urgent - we need to tackle serious organised crime, reduce the red tape that has bedevilled policing and make sure that forces live within their means."

Lord Stevens was the head of the Metropolitan Police between 2000 and 2005 and now sits as a crossbencher in the House of Lords.

Continue Reading... Labels: 'face, disorder', months, police

Egypt police clash with activists

26 November 2011 Last updated at 10:34 ET

Violence flared on Saturday morning as protesters and police clashed

Sporadic clashes have erupted between police and protesters in Cairo as rallies continue against the military two days before polls begin.

At least one protester died after being run over an army vehicle, reports say - the first fatality since a truce on Thursday calmed violence.

On Friday, tens of thousands occupied Tahrir Square, as the nominated prime minister asked to be given a chance.

Meanwhile, the country's military chief has met key presidential candidates.

Field Marshall Mohamed Hussein Tantawi held talks with leading political figures Mohamed ElBaradei and Amr Moussa to discuss the political crisis, according to the official Mena news agency.

The recent unrest has cast a shadow over elections, which are due to begin Monday.

The polls, which take place over three months, are the first since the fall of former President Hosni Mubarak in February.

'Molotov cocktails'

Clashes broke out as protesters tried to block an entrance to a government building to prevent Prime Minister-designate Kamal Ganzouri gaining access.

The Interior Ministry said an army vehicle had accidentally hit 21-year-old Ahmed Sayed after the driver panicked during a confrontation with protesters.

The account was backed by a protester who spoke to AFP news agency after witnessing the incident.

"It wasn't deliberate. They (police) were retreating quickly because (protesters) were throwing rocks and Molotov cocktails at them," he told AFP.

Hundreds of demonstrators remain in the city's Tahrir Square, calling for military rule to end before parliamentary elections are held.

Protesters fear the Supreme Council of the Armed Forces (Scaf) - which is overseeing the transition to democratic rule - is trying to retain power.

In a TV address on Friday, Mr Ganzouri appealed to Egyptians to "give him a chance".

Mr Ganzouri - a former primer minister appointed by the military on Thursday - told Egyptians that he would not have accepted his post if he believed Field Marshal Tantawi wanted to stay in his post.

He promised to form an all-inclusive cabinet to serve the people of Egypt, but said it would not be done until after elections.

Until then, he said former Prime Minister Essam Sharaf, who resigned following the violence earlier this week, would remain in office.

A counter-rally is also being held, with protesters expressing support for the country's interim military rulers and chanting that they represent the real Egypt.

More than 40 people were killed earlier this week as the security forces tried to break up the massive protests, leading to the worst violence since the fall of Mubarak.

Monday marks mark the first step of an election timetable which lasts until March 2012 and covers two houses of parliament.

The elections will take place in stages around the country - each stage has reportedly been extended to two days.

Are you in Egypt? Are you planning to take part in the mass rallies later? What do you think about ex-Prime Minister Kamal Ganzouri? Send us your comments and experiences.

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Continue Reading... Labels: activists, clash, Egypt, police

Four Met police officers stabbed

19 November 2011 Last updated at 09:00 ET

The suspect grabbed a knife from a butcher's shop and attacked officers, eyewitnesses say

Four police officers have been stabbed after being called to a disturbance in north-west London.

Witnesses said a man had been chased by police in and out of shops before he fled into a butchers, grabbed a knife and attacked the officers.

Two of the PCs were seriously hurt and one suffered a broken hand during Saturday's incident in Kingsbury Road.

A 32-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

Ch Supt Dalwardin Babu, the borough commander for Harrow, said one of the officers was stabbed in the stomach, a second suffered head injuries and a stab to the arm, the third officer received a stab wound to the leg and the fourth officer, who was slashed, suffered a broken hand.

Knife grabbed

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Bernard Hogan-Howe said he was concerned for the four PCs, all of whom were taken to hospital. He added that two of them were in a serious condition.

Describing the incident, shopkeeper Girish Modha said: "A man was shouting at police in a small alleyway next to a hairdresser's shop which neighbours mine.

"He grabbed a piece of fluorescent tubing and brandished it at police.

"He then ran down Kingsbury Road, going into a cash-and-carry shop. At one point I think he threw a brick and smashed a police car window.

"He then ran round the roundabout and carried on towards the Tube station.

"He went into a butcher's, got a knife and that's when the stabbing took place."

The hairdresser's shop, Mr Modha's sweet shop and a chemist were cordoned off.

The officers are believed to have been attacked at the Kingsbury Halal Butchers, which is located on a busy shopping street opposite Kingsbury Tube station.

Ketan Vyas, the manager of a cash-and-carry store, VB and Sons, said a man aged in his 30s or 40s had burst into the shop chased by police.

Mr Vyas said: "He picked up some cans of beans and threw them at the police and then carried on running out of the store and down the road.

"There were a lot of police after him. He was only in here for a few seconds."

Describing the aftermath of the incident a worker at a Carphone Warehouse shop opposite Kingsbury Halal Butchers said: "I saw about eight police officers on top of a man.

"Ambulances arrived to take away the injured policemen and the man was also taken away."

'Conscious and breathing'

A spokeswoman for London Ambulance Service said they took five patients to hospital after being called to the scene at 08:50 GMT.

She said: "We sent two single responders in cars, four ambulance crews and a duty officer.

"We treated five patients, they were all conscious and breathing, and they were taken to hospital."

Barry Gardiner, MP for Brent North, who came to the area following the incident, said he was "deeply upset" and the mood in the area was "very sombre".

Four of the injured people were officers, but the identity of the fifth person who was taken to hospital is yet unknown.

The incident took place near Kingsbury Circle, where Kingsbury Road and Kenton Road meets.

Kingsbury Circle has been closed in all directions following the incident and five bus routes have been diverted.

Are you in the area? Did you witness the incident? If you'd like to speak to the BBC about this story please contact us using the form below.

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